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Poster

Session: Session 2 Presenting Authors at Posters (Evens)

P-104 - A Ralstonia solanacearum type III effector alters the actin and microtubule cytoskeleton to promote bacterial virulence in plants

Thursday, July 17, 2025
13:30 - 15:15  
Location: Confex Hall 3
Effector Interference Mechanisms
Cellular responses to biotic stress frequently involve conserved signaling pathways, including the cytoskeleton. This filamentous network senses external cues at the cell surface and signals to interior cellular components. Upon the perception of biotic stressors, dynamic cytoskeletal rearrangements serve as a platform from which early immune-associated processes are organized and activated. Bacterial pathogens of plants and animals use proteins called type III effectors (T3Es) to interfere with host immune signaling to promote virulence. Understanding how effectors interact with conserved host targets promotes the identification of host resistance and susceptibility factors. Previously, we found that RipU, a T3E from the phytobacterial pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum strain K60 (Rs K60), co-localizes with the plant cytoskeleton. Here, we show that RipU associates with and alters the organization of both the actin and microtubule cytoskeleton in plants. Additionally, we found that pharmacological disruption of the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) cytoskeleton promoted Rs K60 colonization. Importantly, tomato plants inoculated with Rs K60 lacking RipU (ΔripU) had significantly reduced wilting symptoms and root colonization compared to plants inoculated with wild-type Rs K60. Collectively, our data suggests that Rs K60 uses the type III effector RipU to remodel cytoskeletal organization, thereby promoting pathogen virulence.